Can the present carry a battered Hollywood?
This 12 months’s Oscars are unspooling after a turbulent 12 months for the movie business. Ticket gross sales have been down 3% from the earlier 12 months and extra considerably from pre-pandemic instances. The strikes of 2023 performed havoc with launch schedules in 2024. Many studios pulled again on manufacturing, leaving many out of labor. The fires, in January, solely added to the ache.
Final 12 months’s telecast, propelled by the dual blockbusters of “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” led the Oscars to a four-year viewership excessive, with 19.5 million viewers. This 12 months, with smaller unbiased movies favored in probably the most distinguished awards, the academy might be examined to attract as massive of an viewers.
With a not significantly starry array of finest track nominees, the academy has completed away with performances of authentic songs this 12 months. However there might be music, together with a efficiency by “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and a tribute to the late Quincy Jones, with Queen Latifah.
Final 12 months’s performing winners — Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph — will even participate within the ceremony. Although the academy initially mentioned it might convey again the “fab five” type of presenting the performing awards, with 5 earlier winners per class, organizers have reportedly deserted these plans.
The ceremony might be going down days following the loss of life of Gene Hackman. The 95-year-old two-time Oscar winner and his spouse, Betsy Arakawa, have been discovered useless Wednesday at their New Mexico house.